Apple warns against mounting iPhones to motorcycles:
This has gotta be one of the weirdest ways you can ruin an iPhone camera.
Apple posted a new page to its support website warning iPhone owners to be careful about exposing their phones to the specific vibration frequencies found in "high-power or high-volume motorcycle engine." News of the support page first popped up in a report from MacRumors.
Apparently, operating these phones too close to those engines can fry the cameras in iPhones with optical image stabilization (OIS) or closed-loop autofocus (AF) technology. Every iPhone from the 7 onward has at least one of those things inside it, so if you've bought an iPhone in the past four or five years, it could potentially be at risk.
The iPhone camera helps you take great photos in any situation—from everyday moments to studio-quality portraits. The advanced camera systems in some iPhone models include technology like optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus to help you capture great photos even in difficult conditions. These systems work to automatically counteract movement, vibrations, and the effects of gravity to let you focus on taking a great shot.
[...] The OIS and closed-loop AF systems in iPhone are designed for durability. However, as is the case with many consumer electronics that include systems like OIS, long-term direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges may degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos. It is recommended to avoid exposing your iPhone to extended high-amplitude vibrations.
High-power or high-volume motorcycle engines generate intense high-amplitude vibrations, which are transmitted through the chassis and handlebars. It is not recommended to attach your iPhone to motorcycles with high-power or high-volume engines due to the amplitude of the vibration in certain frequency ranges that they generate. Attaching your iPhone to vehicles with small-volume or electric engines, such as mopeds and scooters, may lead to comparatively lower-amplitude vibrations, but if you do so a vibration dampening mount is recommended to lessen the risk of damage to your iPhone and its OIS and AF systems. It is also recommended to avoid regular use for prolonged periods to further lessen the risk of damage.
Also at engadget [engadget.com].
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 12 2021, @09:07PM (4 children)
Some states in the US actually permit motorcycles to legally ride in between highway lanes. I guess that's another way to keep the number of motorcycles riders under control.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by EvilSS on Sunday September 12 2021, @10:54PM (3 children)
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 12 2021, @11:00PM
Freedom! Oh wait, you said CA. That's where the commie-fascists live ain't it.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Monday September 13 2021, @03:29AM (1 child)
You err. It is not illegal in Texas. There is simply no law that makes it illegal, nor is there one that makes it legal. Multiple attempts to create a law that explicitly makes it legal have failed. But, you can't get a ticket for violating a law that doesn't exist. However, if a cop sees you, and believes that you are driving recklessly, he will give you a ticket for reckless driving. Depending on whether you were being a real ass, you might beat it in court.
I'm not sure if there are other states with the same legal conundrum. But, you're right in that California is the only state with a law that makes it LEGAL.
(Score: 3, Informative) by EvilSS on Monday September 13 2021, @05:38PM
https://www.statesman.com/story/sponsor-story/thomas-henry/2021/05/26/lane-splitting-hotly-contested-among-motorcyclists-but-legal/5173040001/ [statesman.com]
https://www.arnolditkin.com/blog/motor-vehicle-accidents/is-lane-splitting-legal-in-texas-/
https://www.fibichlaw.com/blog/is-lane-splitting-legal-in-texas-in-2020/ [fibichlaw.com]
https://www.houstoncaraccidentlawyers.org/is-lane-splitting-legal-in-texas/ [houstoncaraccidentlawyers.org]